T is for Talent
by IvyNyx
Summary: Auradon Prep is hosting a talent show. Jay decides to enter and ropes Carlos into his act. No pairings; but you can squint a little to see Jaylos and Bal, if you really want to.


I don't own any of the recognizable places or characters. This story is part of a series that is called Descendants A-Z and is cross posted (always under "IvyNyx").

* * *

"I don't suppose stealing counts as a talent" Jay said reading the poster.

"The way you do it, it might" Carlos joked.

"Oh I cant wait!" Evie said, already planning what she could do.

"Do we have to participate?" Mal asked Ben.

"No, it's by sign up, most kids here don't have any talent" the prince joked.

"Thank Evil." Mal said "My only talent was staying alive on that fucking rock"

"Can we do something together?" Jay asked, an idea coming into his head

"If you want, lots of times groups perform." Ben said, wondering what the thief had in mind.

After classes Jay and Carlos sat in their room working on homework.

"You got a plan for the talent show?" Jay asked

"No, but you do, what is it?" Carlos wondered.

"Depends, I was thinking of singing, if I can convince you to play guitar for me" Jay said, trying to use Carlos's puppy dog eyes.

"Knock off the look, you suck at it" Carlos joked, "I'll play, got a song in mind?"

"Yeah, I'll show you after this mountain is done." Jay said pointing at his half finished homework. Carlos reached over and grabbed the next book, silently helping the older boy, his own homework already finished.

"Fucking genius" Jay muttered.

"You're welcome" Carlos laughed.

"Thanks" the older boy gave in.

As they finished up Jay grabbed a book from next to his bed, flipping it open he handed it to Carlos.

"Seriously you're gonna let me read out of that thing?" he asked, Jay was so protective of his song book it shocked him to be offered it.

"Yeah, I like that song, I figure I have to let someone read it over before I make an ass of myself in front of the school."

Carlos read through it, "That's really good. Since I have it can I look at some more?" Carlos knew he was pushing his luck, but Jay really was good at writing songs.

"Go ahead, but if you tell anyone they won't find your body"

Carlos flipped to the beginning and started reading through some of the other lyrics the other boy had written after a few minutes he closed the book and tossed it back.

"You should share more often, those are really good, even if your handwriting is shit."

"Well we can't all dot our I's with little paw prints." Jay teased. Carlos flipped him off.

"Wanna go see if we can get some music to go with those words?" Carlos offered.

"One week till the show, we better." Jay said, standing up.

They two boys walked to the band room where Carlos grabbed an acoustic guitar.

"Electric dude, it's not country" Jay said

Carlos dropped the acoustic and picked up an electric with a smile, he preferred that anyway.

Two hours later they had the music sorted out, now they just needed to practice it for six more days.

Tuesday night Jay cornered Evie, "I need help." he told her.

"I know, but I'm not qualified sweetie" the blue haired girl joked "What do you need"

"Outfits for me and 'Los, something rock star grunge."

Evie looked like he'd just told her Christmas was coming early.

"I get free range on this?" she asked

"Yeah, just nothing in pink, thanks." Jay said

"Oh no pink, I gotta go design!" with that she was gone.

Jay sighed, he hoped that wouldn't be the biggest mistake of his life, he walked up to the band room to meet with Carlos to go over the song again, he didn't see the point they both knew it already, but Carlos was a perfectionist.

Saturday morning came too quickly for those participating in the talent show. Evie dropped their outfits off to them before running off to finish whatever she was working on.

"You let Evie make us clothes?"

"Yep, now shut up and change, she gave us make up too." Jay said

Carlos came over to dig in the bag, "dude it's eyeliner and hair gel that will take ten minutes, if that." with that he went to flop on the couch for another hour. Jay sat with him, quietly singing the song under his breath. Finally Carlos got up and pulled out his outfit.

"Dude, remind me to kiss Evie." Carlos joked seeing his clothes, he changed immediately, grinning when Jay looked him over.

Skin tight black leather pants, paired with a red fishnet shirt, over that was a plain white dress shirt. A black tie with white paw prints tied the whole thing together. Carlos pulled a note out of the bottom of his bag and laughed, "She thought of everything".

 _C: Eyeliner, foehawk, black high tops red laces._

 _J: Eyeliner, tie your hair back and die, combat boots_

Carlos passed the note to Jay with a smirk. The older boy had on a similar outfit. Skin tight black pants, a red leather vest hung open and a white belt, he pulled on his boots and grinned. Evie was a genius for clothes.

Jay watched Carlos put the eyeliner on without so much as a mirror to help him.

"Dude you're doing mine too, I'd probably poke my eye out."

"No problem, sit." he said with a smirk. Jay flopped on the couch, "I meant the desk chair, oh never mind" he muttered straddling Jay's legs he quickly outlined the other boys eyes and stood up.

"Now you get to gel my hair."

Jay smirked and sat on the back of the couch, pointing at the spot between his feet "sit" he told the other boy. Carlos sat, Jay piled the gel into his hair and combed it up, Carlos tried to ignore how good it felt, he'd always had a weak spot for people playing with his hair.

"Done, extra points, that long with someone touching your hair and no moaning" Jay teased him

Carlos blushed and grabbed his shoes "Shut up".

They stood backstage, someone's sick sense of humor had the Isle kids going last, Jay and Carlos being the very last performance. Evie was on stage doing some weird dance thing, Jay hadn't really paid any attention to what she'd called it.

Carlos pulled the schools guitar on and stood by Jay. "Scared?" he asked

"Fucking terrified, but we'll be fine" Jay said, "You know for a nerd you have some nice muscles"

Carlos felt his face turn red, "Dancing does that." he muttered looking at the floor.

Evie finally stopped and people clapped. Fairy Godmother took the stage.

"Now, our last act of the evening, Jay and Carlos who will be performing a song written by the two of them.

Both boys walked out on stage, Carlos blushed as the wolf whistles started. Mal sealed it by yelling "Could you two be any more fuckable?".

Jay shook his head no, before glancing at Carlos, "Ready?" he asked softly

"Fuck no, lets do this" he said while starting to play. Jay started singing the words a second later.

 _Do you ever feel like breaking down?  
Do you ever feel out of place?  
Like somehow you just don't belong  
And no one understands you_

 _Do you ever want to run away?  
Do you lock yourself in your room?  
With the radio on turned up so loud  
That no one hears you screaming_

 _No you don't know what its like  
When nothing feels alright  
You don't know what its like to be like me  
To be hurt, to feel lost  
To be left out in the dark  
To be kicked when you're down  
To feel like you've been pushed around  
To be on the edge of breaking down  
And no one there to save you  
No you don't know what its like  
Welcome to my life_

 _Do you want to be somebody else?  
Are you sick of feeling so left out?  
Are you desperate to find something more  
Before your life is over_

 _Are you stuck inside a world you hate?  
Are you sick of everyone around?  
With the big fake smiles and stupid lies  
But deep inside you're bleeding_

 _No you don't know what its like  
When nothing feels alright  
You don't know what its like to be like me  
To be hurt  
To feel lost  
To be left out in the dark  
To be kicked when you're down  
To feel like you've been pushed around  
To be on the edge of breaking down  
And no one there to save you  
No you don't know what its like  
Welcome to my life_

 _No one ever lied straight to your face  
And no one ever stabbed you in the back  
You might think I'm happy  
But I'm not gonna be okay  
Everybody always gave you what you wanted  
You never had to work it was always there  
You don't know what its like  
What its like_

 _To be hurt  
To feel lost  
To be left out in the dark  
To be kicked when you're down  
To feel like you've been pushed around  
To be on the edge of breaking down  
And no one there to save you  
No you don't know what its like  
What its like_

 _To be hurt  
To feel lost  
To be left out in the dark  
To be kicked when you're down  
To feel like you've been pushed around  
To be on the edge of breaking down  
And no one's there to save you  
No you don't know what its like  
Welcome to my life  
Welcome to my life  
Welcome to my life_

(A/N: Welcome to my Life but Simple Plan. So not my song; so wouldn't mind owning the band, but I don't)

Carlos sang with him for the chorus, his eyes glued to Mal and Ben, he knew if he looked anywhere else he'd lose every bit of nerve he had. Jay was doing the same thing, this was a song Evie and Mal would understand, but it was for the Auradon kids. A not so subtle reminded that they were different, no matter how hard they tried.

As the song came to an end Jay expected the same soft unenthusiastic applause most of the other acts had gotten, instead they got a thunderous round of applause complete with stomping feet and yelling.

"Well, it seems Princess Audrey will not be taking the Talent Show ribbon home for a third year, this year it goes to Jay and Carlos for their amazing performance." Fairy Godmother said from the edge of the stage. If possible the room got even louder. Jay looped his arm around Carlos and bowed again, before walking off stage, still holding the smaller boy.

Once they got back stage Carlos tried to pull free of Jay, "You can let go now."

"I know I can, I don't want to." Jay smirked down at him, "I still like hugging you, just like you like your hair being played with ". With that he leaned against the wall and pulled Carlos flush against him, both arms wrapped around his waist. Carlos sighed and put his head on Jay's chest, sometimes his best friend was just weird.

"Evie did the outfits right?" Mal asked, coming around the curtain.

"Yeah"

"Remind me to kiss her" Mal said, "You two look downright sinful." Mal smirked

"Hey Ev's, Mal and 'Los wanna kiss you" Jay said seeing the blue haired girl.

"Why, what did I do right now?"

"The outfits" Mal and Carlos said at once.

Evie laughed, "I like playing dress up with you guys, keep the kisses"

Mal and Evie left, Jay and Carlos stayed, Jay didn't want to let go yet and Carlos wasn't going to make him.

"Aww, having fun, fags?"

Carlos stiffened, he knew Audrey's voice and suddenly wanted very much to punch the princess.

"Yeah, we are. Now kindly fuck off." Jay told her.

He watched her open her mouth again and shifted, Carlos took the hint and moved back, figuring Jay was about to verbally tear into Audrey. Instead he pushed off the wall, took Carlos's hand and walked off leaving the princess to sputter out insulting things at their backs.

"I hate her so much" Carlos said as he pulled their dorm door shut.

"I know, but I think we got even ruining her winning streak."

"I'd say so. In other news I want the bathroom first, I want this hair gel gone." Carlos said

Jay laughed, "Go ahead, I can wait."

Carlos grabbed his pajamas and went into the shower. He came out fifteen minutes later with a smile, his hair hanging in wet ringlets. Jay couldn't resist ruffling it as he went past for his own shower.

When Jay came out of the shower he saw Carlos sitting on his bed reading, he paused for a second before sliding onto the bed next to him, his arm going around his shoulders.

"You're really touchy tonight" Carlos said.

"I can stop if it's bugging you." Jay said

"No, I don't mind at all, just an observation"

"Oh, yeah I think the talent show screwed my nerves up a bit." Jay admitted. Carlos let his head rest on Jays shoulder, "wanna sleep here to night?" Carlos offered, him and Jay often slept in the same bed, Mal and Evie did as well, having someone nearby helped with the nightmares.

"If you don't mind."

"I'll mind more if you sleep alone and wake us both up from nightmares" Carlos said matter of factually.

Jay squeezed him before letting go and sliding under the covers.

"I'll hit the light when I'm done this chapter."

"Yeah three AM, that light will still be on." Jay said, he was used to sleeping with the light on at this point.

"Nah, I'll finish the book by midnight" Carlos told him "Night Jay"

"Night 'Los, thanks"

"For what?" Carlos asked

"Putting up with me doing faggy things like cuddling you and sleeping with you." Jay said looking up at the other boy.

"Is faggy even a word?" Carlos wondered aloud, "Either way, it doesn't matter, we're best friends. Mal and Evie do the same thing."

"Still appreciate it"

"You're welcome, now shush and sleep" Carlos told him.


End file.
